All you need to know about Assam’s ‘Bada Madam’, Manju Baruah who broke the ‘tea-glass ceiling’ in NE

TNT News desk | December 08, 2018

Managing a tea estate in Assam has always been the affair of a man and seldom that of a woman. Call it patriarchy or a non-diversion from the set norms, a tea estate manager is often always assumed to be a 'Bada Saheb'. But breaking all norms of conformity, Assam now has a 'Bada Madam' managing a tea estate! Manju Baruah has created history by becoming the 1st lady manager of a tea estate in Assam and broken the tea glass ceiling in Northeast India. Here is all you need to know about her:

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** Manju Baruah is the manager of Apeejay Tea's Hilika Tea Estate in upper Assam's Dibrugarh district.

** At the age of 43, she started as a welfare officer and in an interview with Times of India, she mentions that,"I am often addressed as 'bada madam'. It is the alternative to 'bada saheb', the way the boss in a tea garden is traditionally addressed. Sometimes, the workers call me 'Sir'. I rather enjoy it. "

** The lady rides a motorbike across the 633-hectare tea estate to carry out her duties every day

** There have been women senior assistant managers and welfare officers but no woman was appointed manager until Baruah was promoted in August.

** Baruah is married to a telecom professional and both have an 11-yr-old daughter

** Her work normally starts at 6 am and ends at 3.30 pm after which her plan for the next day begins.

With Baruah having taken over as the manager of the tea estate in Dibrugarh and given the fact that there are more women workers than men, it is hoped that the plight of women workers in tea gardens see an improvement on many fronts, for both men and women.